The present invention relates to electricity meters. In particular, the present invention relates to an adapter which can be used to enable a standard socket mounted electricity meter to be used as a small case switchboard meter or as a large case switchboard meter.
As is known by those skilled in the electrical metering arts, socket mounted meters are used in numerous locations. As used herein, the term "socket mounted meter" is intended to mean an electricity meter which is intended to be mounted in a base. Common examples of socket mounted meters are those electricity revenue meters which are found on the sides of homes and commercial buildings and in substations.
As used herein, the term "switchboard" is used to refer to a relatively large, flat panel which has metering equipment mounted thereon, or more typically, therethrough, such that the metering equipment may be viewed from the front. However, the electrical connections to the panel mounted meters are made at the rear of the switchboard panel.
Due to the nature of a switchboard, in which the intent is to maintain a relatively flat frontal appearance, a class of metering equipment, called small case meters have been designed to mount either on, or through, switchboards in order to be able to have only their display portions, or a relatively small portion of the meter, exposed on the front side of the meter.
Another factor which is present in typical small case meters, of the type intended for use on a switchboard, is that they are generally adapted to be mounted from the front, and they are thereafter wired from the rear, enabling a single person to be able to both mount and wire them.
Heretofore the different physical configuration of a socket meter, in which the meter is significantly longer than what would be desired to extend through the panel prevented standard meters from being used, also, as switchboard meters. The present invention provides an apparatus which allows a standard socket meter to be used as a switchboard meter, so it is not necessary to store both socket meters and switchboard meters. A socket meter used with the present invention, as a itchboard meter, can readily be removed and used as a standard socket meter.